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  • Country ranking ?

    492
  • Producer ranking ?

    42
  • Decanting time

    45min
  • When to drink

    Now

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Wine Information

History

In 1949 William Short, retired theologian and then-owner of the Ridge "middle" vineyard (2070' - 2390'), planted several acres of chardonnay, which provided the 1962 estate Monte Bello Chardonnay for the Ridge partners' first vintage. From 1962 to 1984, limited amounts of chardonnay were produced each year under the Monte Bello designation.

By 1985, younger, replanted vines had begun to supplant the older vines, whose yields had...

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Latest Pro-tasting notes

<10 tasting notes

Tasting note

color

Medium, Yellow and Bright

ending

Long, Spicy and Metallic

flavors

Vanilla, Toasty, Smoky, New-oak, Buttery and Citrus

nose

Open, Complex and Rich

taste

Low in Acidity, Warming, Medium-bodied, Toasty and Dry

Written Notes

The grapes were whole-cluster pressed in separate lots. Juice was aerated by pumping over, oxidising it sufficiently to reduce the yellow pigments that produce broader, less defined wine. With the lees in solution, the wine was transferred to barrels for fermentation and ageing. To emphasise fruit, new oak was kept to a minimum; one- and two-year-old barrels – half French, half American – predominate. Primary fermentation finished by early January, and a natural malolactic extended over the following six months. As usual, the lees were stirred once a week throughout that period. In June, fermentations over, we tasted all lots, choosing the ones to be blended into the Monte Bello. In August these were racked and assembled, then returned to tank and barrel for extended settling. We bottled six months later, without filtration. 
Charry struck match and surprisingly reductive. Smoky and strongly flinty and mineral. Very fresh with intense sweetness of fruit even though the fruit is no longer primary, and this arresting mineral char and a sour almost salty aftertaste. Long, moreish and savoury on the finish. With time in glass: a hint of curry like the leaves of the curry plant.  (JH) 

  • 91p
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Information

Origin

Cupertino, Santa Cruz

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